A typical electronic system (e.g., a computer system, a data storage system. etc.) includes one or more backplanes and electronic components which connect with the backplanes (e.g., circuit boards, disk drive assemblies, etc.). Typically, such a system further includes a power supply, and bus bar assemblies that connect the power supply to the backplanes.
One conventional data storage system includes an electronic equipment cabinet a power supply disposed at the bottom of the cabinet, two backplanes (i.e., a first backplane and a second backplane) disposed above the power supply, and multiple bus bar assemblies. The backs of the first and second backplanes face each other, and include power supply pads.
The bus bar assemblies extend in a parallel configuration between the first and second backplanes. That is each bus bar assembly includes a vertical conductive beam that (i) fastens to the power supply (ii) extends through the middle of the cabinet in a parallel-manner to the vertical conductive beams of neighboring bus bar assemblies and (iii) attaches to the top of the cabinet for support. The vertical conductive beams of the bus bar assemblies extend in parallel within a plane between the backplanes thus preventing them from interfering with each other. Each bus bar assembly further includes a conductive that connects to the vertical conductive beam of that bus bar assembly and extends laterally to the power supply pads on the backs of the first and second backplanes.
Each conductive bracket of a bus bar assembly includes a single vertical row of holes which align with a corresponding vertical row of holes in the vertical conductive beam of that bus bar assembly. A set of screws thread through the conductive bracket holes into the vertical conductive beam holes in order to fasten the conductive bracket to the vertical conductive beam. Accordingly, each bus bar assembly provides an electrical pathway (through a vertical conductive beam and a conductive bracket) between the power supply and the two backplanes. In particular a first bus bar assembly carries a +5 Volt signal from the power supply to the backplanes, and a second bus bar assembly provides a return path (i.e., Ground) for the +5 Volt signal. Similarly, a third bus bar assembly carries a +12 Volt signal from the power supply to the backplanes, and a fourth bus bar assembly provides a return path (i.e., Ground for the +12 Volt signal.
In the above-described data storage system, the power supply pads on the back of each backplane have a symmetrical arrangement. That is, each backplane has a first power supply signal pad for a first power supply signal along its midline (e.g., a +5 Volt signal pad). Each backplane further includes two second power supply signal pads which are symmetrically located on each side of the first power supply signal pad for a second power supply signal (e.g., a pad for return of the +5 Volt signal), two third power supply signal pads symmetrically located outside the second power supply signal pads for a third power supply signal (e.g., a +12 Volt signal pad), and so on.
Because of the symmetrical pad arrangement of the above-described backplanes the manufacturer of the above-described data storage system can manufacture the data storage system using a single backplane design for both the first backplane and the second backplane. For a bus bar assembly that connects to the pads on the midlines of the backs of the first and second backplanes, the conductive bracket of that bus bar assembly connects to those pads. For all other bus bar assemblies the conductive bracket of each bus bar assembly extends from the vertical conductive beam of that bus bar assembly to a pad on the left-hand side of the first backplane and to a symmetrically located pad on the right-hand side of the second backplane. The pads on the right-hand side of the first backplane and the pads on the left-hand side of the second backplane go unused. For example the bus bar assembly for the second power supply signal connects to the second power supply signal pad on the left-hand side of the first backplane and to the second power supple signal pad on the right-hand side of the second backplane the second power supply signal pad on the right-hand side of the first backplane and the second power supply signal pad on the left-hand side of the second backplane go unused.
Unfortunately, there are deficiencies to the above-described conventional data storage system. For example, since the conductive bracket of each bus bar assembly of the conventional data storage system includes a single row of holes which align with a corresponding row of holes in the vertical conductive beam of that bus bar assembly there is little flexibility in the bus bar assembly design. In particular the conductive bracket is limited to properly connecting with the vertical conductive beam at a single location of the conductive bracket. Such a limitation restricts the placement of the vertical conductive beams when multiple bus bar assemblies are used together, i.e., the vertical conductive beams of the bus bar assemblies must extend in a plane in a parallel manner so that then do not interfere with each other.
Additional, due to the symmetrical pad arrangement of that data storage system which enables the manufacturer to use a single backplane design, some power supply pads of the first and second backplanes go unused resulting in an inefficient use of backplane space. Unnecessary costs are invested in making sure such pads are manufactured properly even though such features are never utilized.
Furthermore, the above-described parallel configuration of the bus bar assemblies through to middle of the electronic equipment cabinet is suitable only if the space in the middle of the cabinet between the power supply and the two backplanes is available. That is, the bus bar assembly configuration having vertical conductive beams which fasten to a power supply at the bottom of the cabinet, extend in parallel through the middle of the cabinet, and fasten to the top of the cabinet may not be suitable for situations that do not provide space in the middle of the cabinet between the power supply and the two backplanes.
Also, the bus bar assemblies in the above-described data storage system require attachment to the top of the cabinet for support. Such a requirement can be difficult or even impossible to meet due to the placement of various other components within the cabinet. Moreover, even if such a requirement were achievable, such a requirement can be expensive and burdensome both as a design requirement and a manufacturing requirement.
In contrast to the above-described conventional data storage system, the present invention is directed to techniques for connecting a power supply to multiple backplanes using a bus bar assembly having a power supply member that couples to the power supply, and a backplane member that couples simultaneously to the multiple backplanes. The backplane member defines multiple rows of holes (each row having at least two holes) enabling the power supply member to connect with the backplane member in one of multiple locations of the backplane member. With this configuration there is improved flexibility (e.g., the backplane member can be reused in one of a variety of different bus bar assembly designs). Such flexibility facilitates alleviating some of the deficiencies of the above-described conventional bus bar assembly design (e.g., vertical conductive beams passing through the middle of the cabinet fastening the vertical conductive beams to the lop of the cabinet etc.).
One arrangement of the invention is directed to an electronic system having a power supply, multiple backplanes, and a bus bar assembly electrically interconnected between the power supply and the multiple backplanes. The bus bar assembly includes a power supply member that couples to a power supply, and a backplane member that couples simultaneously to multiple backplanes. The backplane member defines multiple rows of holes. Each row of holes includes at least two holes. The bus bar assembly further includes a set of fasteners that fasten the power supply member to the backplane member in order to provide a conductive path between the power supply and the multiple backplanes. The multiple rows of holes defined by the backplane member enable the backplane member to fasten to power supply members having different designs for greater flexibility.
In one arrangement, the backplane member of the bus bar assembly defines as the multiple rows of holes an Nxc3x97M array of holes. Here, each of N and M are positive integers greater than or equal to two (e.g., a 4-by-4 hole array). In one arrangement the set of fasteners of the bus bar assembly insert through a row of holes defined by the power supply member and one of N rows of M holes in the Nxc3x97M array of holes defined by the backplane member (e.g., one or four different locations on the backplane member). In one arrangement, the backplane member of the bus bar assembly defines each of the multiple rows of holes in a substantially horizontal direction.
In one arrangement, the power supply member of the bus bar assembly includes a first end portion that couples to the power supply, and a second end portion that fastens to the backplane member. Accordingly, the power supply member is not required to fasten to the top of a cabinet as in the conventional data storage system which requires the vertical conductive beams of its bus bar assemblies to fasten to the top of cabinet.
In one arrangement, the power supply member of the bus bar assembly further includes an intermediate portion that connects the first and second end portions. The intermediate portion extends in a substantially vertical direction. Additionally the second end portion that fastens to the backplane member extends in a substantially horizontal direction. This arrangement is suitable for use when there is not a direct path between the power supply and the backplanes (e.g., when there is no space available in the middle of the cabinet between the power supply and the backplanes). For example, in contrast to the above-described conventional data storage system the conductive pathway provided by the bus bar assembly can extend around a periphery of the cabinet space. In one arrangement, the intermediate portion is configured to couple to a side of an electronic equipment cabinet. Preferably, an insulation member to separates the intermediate portion of the power supply member of the bus bar assembly and the side of the electronic equipment cabinet.
The features of the invention as described above may he employed in electronic systems (e.g., computer systems, data storage systems etc.) devices and methods as well as by other computer-related components such as those manufactured by EMC Corporation of Hopkinton, Mass.